The work-life balance is probably the best I've had in my career. And for around a year, there's the ability to learn both the technological and business-based aspects of your role.

Cons

Once you've been in the job a while, boredom tends to creep in. There is realistically very little chance of career progression owing to the acquisition-based nature of the company, meaning teams work in silos without much interaction across products, let alone departments and divisions. The compensation package is not fantastic, but owing to the good work-life balance, it's acceptable. Senior management can be based in another part of the globe, meaning you don't have any contact with them from one year to the next.

Advice to ManagementAdvice

Career progression for employees needs to improve, otherwise good talent will always be on the look out for jobs elsewhere. Senior management needs to improve interaction with it's staff.

Former Employee - Senior Technical Support Engineer in London, England

Former Employee - Senior Technical Support Engineer in London, England

I worked at SunGard

Pros

Pay is good if you are loyal and professionalGood perksExcellent offices in LondonVery nice and friendly atmosphere in the office.

Cons

Outsourcing at its worst.It is astonishing how badly internal processes are broken due to the bad outsourcing attempts.Once you reach the top in your product line you will be better off looking for your next position outside the company than hoping for an internal transfer.Very fragmented structure with multiple business units , complicated communications.Constant management/strategy changes with little visible effect that don't help the morale.

Advice to ManagementAdvice

Make it less bureaucratic and ensure policies and rules are not counter productive.

Entrepreneurial spirit pervades most of the business unitsPragmatic management style, less politics than other companies of comparable sizeAccessible senior management

Cons

Underinvestment in products has lead to broadly uncompetitive, aging product setToo many years of acquisitions have led to an unholy mess that needs to be sorted out. This process is ongoing and made SunGard a much less interesting and fun place to workLittle support from HR for those who want to manage their career within the group. HR department function as administrators rather than business partners.

Advice to ManagementAdvice

1) Stop messing around and get the pain of restructuring the company over with quickly - it will only get worse.2) Consolidate around a coherent, winning strategy that you can use to rally your employees and articulate to your customers.3) Don't have unrealistic ideas about what the company is worth